Signed Usain Bolt memorabilia offered in online auction

Posted on Monday 23rd July 2012

Discerning sports fans and collectors will have the chance to get their hands on some of the hottest memorabilia ahead of London 2012 at a live online auction next week.

Two Lots will be available, offering bidders their own piece of sporting history. They will be a pair of Usain Bolt’s own running spikes signed by the man himself, and a Jamaican team running vest, also signed by the world’s fastest sprinter.

The auction will take place at a private gala dinner at the University of Birmingham, where the Jamaican track and field team have been based for their pre-Olympic training camp.

All proceeds will go towards supporting a life-changing opportunity for a student resident in Jamaica to study at the University of Birmingham, delivering a true Olympic legacy for the city and the Jamaican community.

Many of the athletes will be present at the auction to see whether online viewers can out-bid those in the room.

Zena Wooldridge, Director of Sport at the University of Birmingham said: “The University has been working towards this moment for several years and having the Jamaican track and field team on campus has been a wonderful experience. The whole city has been energised by the presence of some of the world’s greatest sporting stars here in Birmingham and we want to make sure that the impact is felt long after they’ve gone.

“We’re extremely grateful to the team for supporting this event as the scholarship will give a student from Jamaica the opportunity to study at the University of Birmingham and further develop the long-term links between the University, the city and the Jamaican community.”

The University of Birmingham is planning a new £55m sports centre, which will include the city’s first 50-metre swimming pool, to serve everyone from students and staff to talented athletes and members of the local community.